Harry's Best Man Speech

By: Makalani Astral

There are weddings where the Best Wizard will tell you that since the Groom met his Bride, everything has changed. He'll tell you that the Groom is no longer the wild man he once was, and the bachelor days are gone. And there are weddings when you'll look at the Groom and wonder if that's true. But none of that applies here. This is a wedding of two people who were made for each other right from the start.

You might think I'm exaggerating, but let me tell you, Ron and Hermione go a long way back.

I look at them today, and I really can't imagine two people more right for each other.

Let me tell you how we all met. I met Ron and his family (or most of them) when they showed me how to get on Platform 9 ¾. We ended up sitting on the Hogwart's Express together. We met Hermione when she opened our compartment door asking if we'd seen Neville's toad, Trevor. But it wasn't until Ron had made Hermione cry on Hallowe'en that we became friends. How did we become friends after Ron had made Hermione cry in the girl's loo all day, you ask? Because our DADA professor had let in a mountain troll that we rescued her from. Nothing like near death experiences to create those ties that bind!

Let's see, we've been through: dragons (many of them and at a few different times), flying cars, Snape and his potions class, giant chess sets, a homicidal tree, cooking up polyjuice potion in a girl's loo, acromantulas, basilisks, a number of incompetent DADA professors, dancing lessons, protective familiars, dragonsnare, screaming portraits, Snape and potions class, blast-ended skrewts, Trewlawney, all things Quidditch, getting our apparating licenses and so many other things! Oh! Did I mention Snape and his potions class?

And all those times it's usually Hermione who knows how to get us out of there with as minor injuries as possible or even how to avoid it all together. Like setting Snape's robes on fire when you thought he was jinxing my broom, tricking Umbridge into the Forbidden Forrest, figuring out it was a basilisk, knowing how to brew the polyjuice potion, getting us away from the dragonsnare. Not to mention all the times you repaired those crappy old specs of mine or all the homework correction you helped us with or the nagging on about revising for exams. You were always the one who made sure we had a plan, even if it did backfire on us.

Let me tell you all, when they did finally get together a huge sigh of relief was breathed. We thought maybe the fighting would calm down. :chuckles: That's not happened but they'll keep each other on their toes for a long time. It's funny, they say a guy looks for his mum in the woman he marries. :looks between Mrs. Weasley and Hermione: I think he's spot on.

You're my best mates and you've been a huge support for me, now's my turn. 'Uncle' Harry's willing to babysit almost anytime! Reservations required though.

I hope everyone enjoys the party.

xxx This was written for Third Floor Corridor Fan Fiction Contest #1 due March 30, 2006. Rules were: Plot: Ron and Hermione are getting married. Now it is the reception, and Harry must give his speech for the couple, as Ron's Best Man, and a best friend to the couple. You may write simply the speech, or you may do it in story form. Whichever you can most effectively pull off. Must be over 500 words. xxx

One Shot.